Dance battle? Fifteen years ago, for sure. Rap battle? Absolutely not. But a writing battle… taking on technology so advanced that it might one day allegedly take over the human race? Yeah, go on then.
While AI can deliver numerous time-saving and cost benefits, I want to prove that the opportunity cost is quality. Human nature is complex, and tricky to bottle in an algorithm.
But why don’t you see for yourself? I challenged Claude, Anthropic’s LLM, to a writing battle on the topic of one of my favourite things to do: mountain biking. And, dear reader, you get to choose the winner. So, shall we crack on?
Let the battle commence…
CLAUDE WRITES...
Downhill mountain biking is absolutely exhilarating - the perfect blend of skill, speed, and sheer adrenaline. As I stand atop the trail, sizing up the descent, a thrill of anticipation courses through me. This may not be the most extreme run, but it's more than enough to get my heart racing.
With a confident push-off, I dive into the trail, the bike responding seamlessly to my every command. I carve through the turns with precision, my body moving in perfect harmony with the machine beneath me. The wind whips through my hair as I pick up speed, but I stay laser-focused, navigating the terrain with grace and control.
The adrenaline is palpable as I feel the pull of gravity, my legs pumping to keep the bike stable and under my command. This is where I thrive - in that perfect balance of fear and exhilaration, where the world becomes a blur and all that matters is the trail unfolding before me.
When I finally reach the bottom, coasting to a stop, a triumphant grin spreads across my face. Sure, I may not be sending it off massive drops or flying through the air, but I'm more than holding my own. This is my kind of downhill riding - fast, fluid, and utterly captivating. There's nothing quite like the rush of carving up a mountain at breakneck speeds, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
JAYNE WRITES...
“You go first.”
“No, you go.”
“I’m not feeling fast today though.”
“Me neither. I’d rather go at the back.”
This exchange happens at the top of the first descent of every mountain bike ride with friends. A quick survey of riders I know reveals it to be an exclusively female habit: the boys just ride off, order agreed silently.
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A few years back, I watched the single-shot segment of Brandon Semenuk in the mountain bike film unReal. It’s soundtracked by Buffalo Springfield and, ever since, I’ve had For What It’s Worth in my head before every mountain bike descent. That measured guitar riff overlaid with Stephen Stills’ chilled vocal reminds me to clear my head before I take the first pedal stroke.
Climbs are for chats, working out plans and remembering all the things I haven’t done. Descents are a solo, focused affair. When weaving fast through trees or trickling over slippy rocks, it’s only the next corner, root or drop that you can think about.
To be clear, I’m no pro like Brandon. I eagerly ride local trails and enjoy trying new ones further afield. I fall off. I push down steep stuff. But I go out, over and over again, trying to get faster, be smoother and find more flow because nothing else comes close to providing the same microdose of adrenaline and joy. I’m convinced it’s linked to mountain biking’s ability to fill your whole brain, if only for those few minutes – sometimes seconds – of descent. Whether you’re the first one down or the last, it’s always worth it.
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